Sathya Sai Baba
Indian godman who claimed to be Shirdi Sai Baba's reincarnation.
Sathya Sai Baba was born Ratnakaram Sathyanarayana Raju on 23 November 1926 in Puttaparthi, a village in what was then the Madras Presidency of British India (now in Andhra Pradesh). He came from a Bhatraju family, a Telugu-speaking community known for religious music and storytelling. When he was fourteen, he declared himself the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba and left home, saying his devotees were calling him and he had work to do. Almost all details of his early life come from hagiographic accounts cherished by his followers, who see them as proof of his divinity. These stories describe supernatural events in his childhood, such as musical instruments playing on their own and a cobra appearing under his cradle. He was said to be unusually compassionate, drawn to devotional activities, and uninterested in school, but talented in music, dance, and drama. Devotees claimed he could materialize objects from nothing from a young age. In March 1940, after a scorpion bite left him unconscious for hours, he began reciting Sanskrit verses. The following May, he proclaimed himself the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba (who had died eight years before Sathya was born) and took the name Sathya Sai Baba. On 20 October 1940, at age fourteen, he left his formal education and family to begin a mission of re-establishing righteousness, echoing a declaration from the Bhagavad Gita.
A mandir for his followers was built near Puttaparthi in 1944, now called the "old mandir." Construction of the main ashram, Prasanthi Nilayam, ran from 1948 to 1950. In 1954, he set up a small free general hospital in Puttaparthi. His reputation grew due to his reputed mystical powers and healing abilities. In 1957, he toured North India, visiting temples in Delhi, Srinagar, Kashmir, and Rishikesh. His only trip outside India was from June to July 1968, when he traveled to Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Between 1968 and 1981, he established three temples: Sathyam Mandir in Mumbai, Shivam Mandir in Hyderabad, and Sundaram in Chennai. On 23 November 2000, over 250,000 people attended his 74th birthday celebrations in Puttaparthi.
In 1963, it was reported that Sai Baba suffered a stroke and four severe heart attacks, leaving him partially paralyzed. While thousands prayed for him at Prasanthi Nilayam, he apparently healed himself in front of them. After recovering, he said he was Shiva-Sakthi, bo
- born
- 23 November 1926
- died
- 24 April 2011
- field
- Spiritual leader, philanthropist
- nationality
- Indian
- known_for
- Claimed reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba; materialisation of vibhuti and objects; large-scale charitable projects
Lore & Background
Sathya Sai Baba was born in Puttaparthi, then part of the Madras Presidency of British India, into a Bhatraju family of religious musicians. Almost everything known about his early life comes from hagiography. His childhood was marked by supernatural signs, including musical instruments playing untouched and a cobra under his cradle. After a scorpion bite in March 1940, he lost consciousness, then began singing Sanskrit verses. In May 1940 he proclaimed himself the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi, and on 20 October 1940, at age 14, renounced his education and family to begin a mission to 're-establish the principles of righteousness'.
In 1944 a mandir was built near Puttaparthi, and the current ashram, Prasanthi Nilayam, was completed in 1950. He established a free general hospital in 1954 and toured North India in 1957. In 1968 he travelled to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, his only trip outside India. In 1963, after a stroke and heart attacks, he apparently healed himself in front of thousands. He then stated he was 'Shiva-Sakthi' and predicted a third incarnation, Prema Sai Baba, eight years after his death at age 96, but he died at 84.
On 6 June 1993, four men entered his residence, stabbing two assistants to death; police shot the four. Sai Baba remained unharmed and later said there was no bid on his life. In 2002, a man with an air pistol was apprehended at his ashram. He started a drinking water project in 1995 for 1.2 million people in Rayalaseema, and in 2001 established a free super-speciality hospital in Bangalore. He died on 24 April 2011 after multiple organ failures, and was buried with full state honors, attended by an estimated 500,000 people.
Reader's Guide
Sathya Sai Baba's significance lies in his vast following and the charitable institutions he founded, including hospitals and drinking water projects that served millions. His public reputation centered on claimed materialisations of vibhuti and objects, which devotees saw as divine but critics dismissed as sleight of hand. He faced persistent accusations of fraud and murder, yet was never charged. His death drew condolences from national leaders including the Indian prime minister and the Dalai Lama, and his funeral was a state event. The Hindu newspaper noted his appeal lay in 'his unswerving commitment to communal harmony, his encouragement of charitable activity and public-spiritedness, and his own example in building educational and health care institutions that focused on meeting basic needs on a large scale.' His legacy remains contested: revered by millions as an avatar, but viewed by skeptics as a charismatic performer. The ambiguity of the 1993 assassination attempt and the unfulfilled prediction of a third incarnation add to the complexity of his historical footprint.
Did You Know?
- Sathya Sai Baba was born into a Bhatraju family, a Telugu-speaking community of religious musicians and balladeers.
- He claimed to be the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, who had died eight years before Sathya's birth.
- In 1963, after a stroke and heart attacks, he apparently healed himself in front of thousands of gathered devotees.
- He predicted he would be reborn eight years after his death at age 96, but died at age 84.
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